Here’s a roundup of some interesting items we came across this week in our reading of data center industry blogs for July 25th:

“Watts per Square Meter”: the Wrong Way to Specify Density - The Schneider Electric blog examines how to calculate power density requirements. "The traditional method for specifying power density using a single figure such as watts per square meter (or foot) is an unfortunate practice that often leads to confusion as well as a waste of energy and money."

Thunder and Lightning and Blackouts, Oh My! - DataCave looks at the seasonal issue of summer power outages: "As temperatures climb, individuals and companies across the Midwest find themselves using more power and experiencing rolling blackouts. While power outages and blackouts are not exclusive to the summer months, they are often more prevalent during these months. The effects of these outages, while not always devastating or headline generating, are often costly." First of a series. See part two for more on this topic.

Deconstructing SoftLayer’s Three-Tiered Network - At the InnerLayer blog, they're talking networking. "SoftLayer’s hosting platform features an innovative, three-tier network architecture: Every server in a SoftLayer data center is physically connected to public, private and out-of-band management networks. This 'network within a network' topology provides customers the ability to build out and manage their own global infrastructure without overly complex configurations or significant costs, but the benefits of this setup are often overlooked."

Giving the Web Hosting Industry a Voice - At The WHIR, David Hamilton examines hosting and regulation: "Without general oversight or a single, unified voice, the web hosting industry lacks the power to counter changes that would negatively affect them, their customers, and the Internet as a whole. And while cooperation certainly exists in web hosting, there are some serious issues and considerations standing in the way of web hosts addressing industry issues, and promoting shared ideals and goals."